Mike Manno's, THE DEADLY HABIT

THE DEADLY HABIT is a debut mystery by writer/lawyer Mike Manno. This book starts out with a bang when a novice nun is killed in a car bomb that officials believe was meant for her father. Her father, Charles Winborn, is the publisher of a local newspaper, which he uses to attack those who don't hold to his particular views and morals. Because of the many people Winborn has attacked, the suspects abound and range from the mayor to a militant gay rights group. Though no one but his family had any love for Winborn, everyone in the town loved the victim, who was a former homecoming queen before deciding to become a nun.

The local authorities turn to the state police, bringing onto the scene Detective Sergeant Jerome Stankowski, known as Stan to his friends. Stan is young and prefers to operate by the book, which makes it difficult for him to deal with the man he has been partnered with for this case, Deputy Attorney General Parker Noble. Instead of following the book, Noble does things his own way, and more often than not in the opposite way that Stan would have wanted. Stan's frustration with Noble is somewhat dissipated by his growing interest in the victim's close friend, Buffy Coyle, who was recently fired by Winborn.

Manno has done a good job of portraying the multitude of secrets that can hide within any town, and the relationship between the two main characters adds an interesting chemistry to the story. Hopefully the future will hold more adventures featuring this odd couple.

Suite101 Mystery Book Review site Review by Lorie Ham, author of MURDER IN FOUR PART HARMONY Sample at: http://www.angelfire.com/la2/lorieham/

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